If a swimming pool accident resulted in your injuries or a loved one’s passing, you may have the right to seek financial compensation. A Clearwater swimming pool accident lawyer with the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine could help you fight for compensation to take care of your medical bills, household expenses, and other accident-related costs.
We Can Help You Seek Awards for Your Medical Bills and Other Losses
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 50 percent of drowning victims treated in an emergency room require hospitalization and further medical care. Non-fatal drowning can cause brain damage that may result in memory problems, long-term disabilities, and permanent loss of brain function. These injuries can be life-altering and lead to thousands of dollars in medical bills.
If you or a loved one suffered a swimming pool accident injury, a Clearwater swimming pool accident lawyer from our firm could help you seek damages. This may include compensation for:
- Emergency treatment and hospital stays
- Surgeries and other medical procedures
- Physical therapy
- Cognitive rehabilitation
- Long-term nursing care
- Mobility equipment and other health aids
- Medications
- Doctor visits and specialist services
- Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
Seeking Wrongful Death Damages
If your loved one’s swimming pool accident resulted in their death, you may be able to seek damages through a wrongful death case. This may include compensation for their final medical care, burial expenses, and funeral costs.
Surviving family members of adult victims may also recover damages for the loss of their loved one’s financial contributions, support, and companionship. If you are the parent of a deceased minor child, you may seek compensation for your mental pain and suffering caused by their loss.
Swimming Pool Owners Must Take Extra Precautions to Secure Their Premises
Property owners owe those on their premises a duty of care. This means that these individuals must make a reasonable effort to keep their premises in a safe condition to prevent injuries. Swimming pool owners have an even greater legal obligation when it comes to securing their pools.
According to the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act, drowning is the leading cause of death in young children and medically frail elder adults in Florida. To reduce the number of fatalities, the law mandates that pool, spa, and hot tub owners implement a system to prevent accidental drowning.
Clearwater’s Local Swimming Pool Regulations
The City of Clearwater has adopted the state’s laws as part of its Residential Swimming Pool, Spa, or Hot Tub Safety Act. Owners must have at least one of the following protections:
- An approved safety pool cover
- A fence or wall that meets residential pool barrier requirements
- Safety alarms on doors and windows that provide direct access from a residence into a pool area
- A self-closing, self-latching device on doors providing direct access from a residence to a swimming pool
- A swimming pool alarm that sounds an alert upon any accidental or unauthorized entry into the water
Public Swimming Pools
According to the Florida Department of Health, public swimming pools must also follow regulations to keep patrons safe. Public pool owners must follow the rules relating to barriers around the pool, lifeguards and lifeguard training, safety equipment, chemical use, and the presence of glass containers around the pool area.
Whether your injuries occurred at a public or private swimming pool, you should not have to pay for the consequences of an accident you did not cause. The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help you hold those responsible financially accountable using the laws and regulations outlined above.
Factors That Can Affect Your Right to Collect Damages
In most premises liability cases, your status on the property will affect your ability to seek compensation. According to Florida Statutes § 768.075, property owners are not liable for injuries that trespassers suffer on the premises. However, there is an exception to the trespassing rule when it comes to minor children and swimming pools.
Pools are considered an “attractive nuisance.” The law recognizes that children may not be able to understand the concept of trespassing or identify certain property conditions as dangerous. Therefore, property owners have a duty to protect minors against certain potential hazards, including pools. Those who do not properly secure their pools against trespassing minors can be held liable for their injuries.
We Go the Extra Mile to Help Our Clients Get the Compensation They Need
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help you and your family seek awards related to a variety of swimming pool accidents, including:
- Drownings
- Near drownings
- Slip and falls
- Electrocutions
- Diving board injuries
- Head injuries
- Broken bones
Our Clearwater swimming pool accident lawyers can help you with an insurance claim or civil lawsuit, if necessary. We will collect, organize and submit paperwork, work to prove negligence, negotiate with insurance companies, and keep you updated every step of the way. You worry about getting better. We take care of everything else.
Do not Wait to Reach Out for Help
We will make every effort to settle your case outside of court, but if you must file suit, you generally have four years from the time of your injury to do so. The deadline for a wrongful death lawsuit is generally only two years. The sooner you reach out to our team, the sooner we can get to work for you. Call our offices at 1-800-747-3733.
We Can Help.
